The Value of Admitting Mistakes

Many people, including myself, have a tendency to resist admitting when they have made a mistake. This is counterproductive and inhibits our personal development. It’s okay to make mistakes — everyone does. Perhaps you used faulty reasoning, referenced an unreliable source in an argument, or failed to adequately prepare for your physics test. You can’t change what has already happened, but you can acknowledge your mistake, learn from it, and avoid making it in the future.

Acknowledge

The first thing you should do is eagerly and enthusiastically acknowledge your mistake. Don’t justify your intentions, don’t come up with excuses, and don’t be embarrassed. Often times we are hesitant to do this because we want to project a particular image of ourselves to others. Our pride prevents us from admitting when we are wrong, and gets in the way of our personal development. Despite our intentions, failing to acknowledge our mistakes rarely benefits us at all. When you avoid acknowledging your mistakes you usually come across as arrogant. When you eagerly acknowledge your mistakes you are likely to be perceived as humble, genuine, and honest.

Learn

Once you’ve acknowledged your mistake you should try to identify what you can do to avoid making it in the future. I spend a few minutes every night reflecting on events that happened that day, asking myself what I could have done better. By trying to find ways to improve in all areas of life we can mold our character, train our thought processes, and reinforce habits that we desire to have. This is an empowering process; by living in this way we are able to deliberately work towards becoming a better version of ourselves.

Let It Go

After you’ve learned all you can from your mistake you should let it go. Take pride in knowing that you are less likely to make that mistake in the future. Some people spend too much mental energy being frustrated about making mistakes, but this is a waste of energy and is counterproductive. You can’t change your past, but you can improve your future.